Retirement is Hectic

I thought that once I retired I would have ample opportunity to write deep meaningful Blogs on current affairs and the issues that interest me. How wrong can you get! So far all I have done is rush about. Two trips up north, wedding planning with very little time to sit and do nothing. Hopefully this will come in the next few weeks.

Do my children love me?

Is getting the old man a gift certificate fro a tandem sky dive a sign of love? Answers please!

First Day of Retirement!

Helena had come down for a few days, and Lawrie and Emma came down on the Friday evening. They had said that as the weather was nice we should go to the beach and so Saturday found us at Whitstable much to our surprise. The suggestion had been made partly in jest; but the weather was nice so off we went and we had a great time.

Emma, Barry and Helena

Barry and Lawrie

Lunch of fish and chips sat by the harbour wall, wondering along the sea shore then back through the high street looking at various art galleries and antique shops. In the evening we all, Barry, Julia, David, Andrew, Gaew, Lawrie, Emma and Helena (sadly Sam had to work) went off to our local Chinese, Ginny's Kitchen,  for a banquet. A really great evening was had by all.

 

Farewell to IBM

The past few days have been rather hectic to say the least. Wednesday 3 October I had my farewell drinks session at the Kings Arms, Roupell Street.  They only had nine different cask conditioned beers. I did my best to get through the card, but jad to admit defeat. I seemed to get stuck on one that was 6.6% ABV!

Thursday was my birthday, 65! We celebrated by going to Chapter One, the local one star Michelin Restaurant. I must confess that it thoroughly deserves its star. The food is fantastic and it has vegetarian menu which met Julia's expectations. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Friday was my last day at work, badge, phone, credit card and laptop were all handed in and I left the building. My manger Andy bought me lunch and we had a couple of beers together with a couple of colleagues. Then it was on the train home to start the rest of my life.

"Trouble at Mill"

The degree course that I am doing is run under the auspices of St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill. A college of the University of London. There is widespread unhappiness at the way a merger of two departments is being imposed by the principal Philip Essler without the usual consultation process. A motion of no confidence was passed by the college. Further details can be found by clicking here.It is so sad that staff and students are being treated in such an appalling way. There was a post on a Blog that the Senior Management Team was going to resign today, sadly this has proved to be a hoax.

The time has come the walrus said

After 28 years and eight months this old walrus will be departing IBM on Friday 5 October. I joined, having been made redundant  from BAT; at the time we were doing a loft conversion at home. We didn't have a roof on the house, the builder went bust, three young children and I didn't have a job; so things could only get better.
They certainly did get better,  I joined Property Services as a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and helped commission Southbank and all its Series 1's which was then nearing completion. It was then onto Wigmore Street which I managed along with the other Central London locations including the IBM shops (remember those?). I joined the "back to the field" call some 25 years ago and spent 18 months training as a Systems Engineer. It was in the middle of the Mid-range Implementation School that we announced the AS/400 so we hurriedly had to redo all the System 38 stuff. During the final SE School the team I was part of proposed the 6150 and AIX as part of our solution; this baffled most of the call takers as they had very little idea of what it was.
Then it was life as a branch SE at Croydon in South East Branch. I played my last game of rugby for them some two years after my "retirement" from the game, We played one of our large customers. It must have been a very hot day as there was a tremendous rehydration session after the match. I am trying to imagine the control forms that we would have to complete today if we were to try to embark on such a venture! Then it was into the AIX Business Unit and finally joining the newly formed Storage Unit in about 1996/7.

Looking back, the past twelve years have been the best. Almost four years working at the ITSO in San Jose, who wouldn't enjoy living and working there? Then back to the UK at the end of 2003. I spent most of my time working with the best storage product that IBM has invented and produced, the SVC. Then in 2008 I joined the XIV team. Not only is it the best storage product in the marketplace but it has the some of the best teams supporting and selling it that I have worked with during my career; teams in the UK, the US, Mainz and Israel. It has been a great time.

So it is with mixed emotions that I will be leaving IBM. IBM has changed beyond recognition since I joined; perhaps it is as well it did or else it would no longer exist. The whole world has changed and not always for the best. Those of us who have been around a while can reminisce about thing such as; family dinners,  team meetings in Calais, branch teams in the Sunday Times Fun Run, trips on Blue Bell line, tea at the Ritz, the IBM Hot Air Balloon (no not senior management, a real one in which we took customers), IBM Half marathon Championships, the list goes on!


When I leave I will be completing my studies for a degree in Pastoral Theology and, DV, will be ordained a Permanent Deacon in the RC Church next year.

Finally spare a thought for my wife Julia, we have been married for 41 years and now she will have to put up with me 24x7!

Foundation Degree

We found out at the recent Study Day at Wonersh that we have all passed the foundation Degree. The marks etc will not be known for some months as they have to be ratified. But all twelve of us have passed. One more step on the road!